1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting device for securing plate-shaped elements on a mounting rail and including a first holding member, a second holding member forming, together with the first holding member, a space for receiving a plate-shaped element, with the first holding member being displaceable relative to the second holding member, and a fastening member extending through the first holding member and the second holding member and connectable with an anchoring element provided on the mounting rail for securing the mounting device on the mounting rail.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For mounting plate-shaped elements such as solar panels of solar plants on roof surfaces, in particular after a structure has been erected, there are provided support systems formed of mounting rails. The mounting systems or rails support separate plate-shaped elements, e.g., solar panels at a distance from a roof cover formed of, e.g., tiles. The separate plate-shaped elements are secured on the support system with separate mounting devices. The mounting rails themselves have anchoring elements with which the shaft of a fastening member is connected for securing the mounting device on the rail. E.g., the fastening member can have a threaded section that engages a counter-thread provided in the mounting rail as an anchoring element.
German Publication DE 102 33 973 A1 discloses a mounting device for securing plate-shaped elements in form of solar panels on a C-shaped rail having a longitudinally extending groove. The mounting device includes first and second holding members, a fastening member extending through the first and second holding members, and a rear gripping member insertable in the receiving groove and rotatable therein. The rear gripping member has anchoring means that forms the anchoring means of the mounting rail. The anchoring means, which is provided in the bottom plate, is formed as a counter-thread which is engaged by the threaded section with which the fastening member is provided. The first holding member is displaceable relative to the second holding member. Upon locking of the mounting device, the solar panel is clamped between the first and second holding members, with the mounting device being simultaneously secured on the mounting rail. A spacer sleeve is provided between the first and second holding members and insures a minimal spacing between the holding members and prevents, in the locking position of the mounting device, application of a two high pressure to the solar panel in a region of retention of the solar panel.
The drawback of the above-described mounting device consists in that during mounting of the device on a mounting rail, the first and second holding members tend to automatically adjust themselves to a minimal distance therebetween predetermined by the spacer sleeve. This makes mounting of a solar panel more difficult because its edge should be inserted in several mounting devices. In particular, with large surfaces of the solar panels and, e.g., when two adjacent to each other solar panels need to be secured with a single mounting device, the mounting of the solar panels is time-consuming and expensive. In addition, such solar panels are often mounted on inclined roofs, so that simplicity of mounting is an essential requirement the user requests.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mounting device for securing plate-shaped elements on a mounting rail provided with a receiving groove, which mounting device provides for an easy mounting and securing of the plate-shaped elements.